1. Spelling Words than—used to compare two unequal things She is taller than you. I would rather be tall than be short. then —next in order of time and/or place The students start with the DOL, then they begin their classwork. its —possessive form of it The book has lost its cover. it’s —contraction of it + is or it + has It’s going to be a long year! tried —past tense of try (change the –y to an –i when adding –ed) You might have tried your best, but your best wasn’t good enough.

2. Labyrinth Definition: maze; complex structure of connected passageways; intricate Example: Applying to college can be a labyrinth of rules and regulations.

3. Maneuver Definition: planned movement that requires skill; plan skillfully Example: The driver maneuvered through the accident.

4. Nocturnal Definition: of, relating to, or occurring at night Example: Humans are not meant to be nocturnal animals, however many have adapted due to their work or play schedule.

5. Plateau Definition: stable level; level off; level of no growth or decline Example: My weight has hit a plateau.

6. Quandary Definition: dilemma; condition of uncertainty or doubt Example: I am in a quandary of what phone to buy.

7. Recede Definition: to move back or away from a limit, degree, point, or mark; slope backward; to diminish Example: As males tend to age, their hairline starts to recede.

8. Sacrifice Definition: act of giving up something highly valued; offering something for forgiveness Example: The mother sacrificed her life to save her child’s life.

9. Stereotype Definition: oversimplified idea or image held by common members of a group; fixed form Example: Stereotypes put individuals into categories that do not necessarily portray those individuals.

10. Tariff Definition: a tax or duty imposed by a government on a category of imported or exported goods Example: Governments generally impose tariffs to raise revenue and to protect from foreign competition.

11. Unanimous Definition: fully in agreement; sharing the same opinion Example: It was a unanimous decision that he should not be elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame.